Compare towns
Middlesex vs Montpelier vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Montpelier has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Waterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Middlesex | Montpelier | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
8,014Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Montpelier and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the VT average |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$375,100±$21kLowest 18% above VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Waterbury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,302±$113 6% above VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 29% above VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$6,435Lowest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterbury and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.5% VT: 10.1% |
7.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Montpelier High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.